“About Reuben,” returned Edward? “can’t the servants take care of him at home? he will do very well at home, and be very contented, I know.”

“But I have undertaken the charge of him,” said Marten, “and I should not like, after what I have said, to leave him, even for a couple of days.  I must either bring him with me, Edward, or stay at home with him—­indeed, I must.”

“Well, then, bring the little fellow,” replied Edward kindly; “anything so as you come, Marten; and remember there will be plenty of girls invited, for Jane and Mary Roscoe, and Reuben can surely play with them, and they will take care of him, no doubt.  So bring him, by all means, if that is the only hindrance; but still, I say, you would do better to leave him at home with the servants; however, that’s your business, not mine.  I reckon on you to-morrow, about eleven o’clock—­to stay all night, next day, and the night following, if you like; so good bye, till then.  I have half the country to ride over to beat up my recruits;” and without waiting another word from his friend, Edward ran across the meadow, snatched up his hat from where the faithful dog was carefully guarding it, sprang upon his pony, and then once again leaping the ditch, he cantered off at a pace so rapid, he was soon lost to Marten’s sight.

How pleased was Reuben to shew his brother that he had caught the doves, and Marten was also pleased:  for any how he need not distress himself about them, as they were secured, but he thought it advisable to take them under his own charge, as he considered he could hold them firmer than the little one.  And now the boys ran home as quickly as they could, and the pretty birds were shut up in their aviary, and Marten hastened to the kitchen to find the house-maid, who was called nurse, as she had been Reuben’s nurse before she had changed her occupation in the family, the child no longer requiring a personal attendant.  In the kitchen Marten learnt that she was gone out into the garden to gather some herbs for the cook, and thither he followed her to tell her that his friend Edward Jameson had been with him, and what had been the purport of his visit.

“Nurse,” said Marten, when he found her, “I am come to ask you to get mine and Reuben’s things ready to-night, for I am going to take him with me to spend a couple of days at Mr. Jameson’s; and there will be company there in the evenings, so we must have our best things, nurse, and will you be so kind as to see after the doves, and tell Thomas to loosen Nero’s chain every day, that he may have a good scamper over the fields, for papa says he should have plenty of exercise.”

“Stop, stop, master Marten,” replied nurse, “what is all this about? your things and master Reuben’s, do you say, are to be got ready for two day’s visit—­and the doves fed? am I to find them before I feed them, master Marten?” and nurse laughed.

“They are found, nurse,” answered the boy, “and they are now safe in the aviary, and I will take care the door shall not be opened again while mamma is away.  I mean to put a padlock on, nurse, so you see no one can let them out, and I shall keep the key myself.”